USAID monitoring, evaluation, and learning activity final report : beyond capital midterm evaluation

BC’s mission is to close the pre-seed/seed capital financing gap faced byJordanian start-ups that have graduated from an accelerator. Effectively, the Evaluation Team (ET) views BC as a start-up business, attempting to gain market traction for its three Pillars pilot activities.This “learning-oriented” evaluation addressed the following issues: First, what is the quality and effectiveness of BC’s Technical Assistance to increase the viability and scalability of qualified early-stage businesses? Secondly, what is BC’s approach (methodology) to: a) increasing early-stage businesses access to investors and post-seed/pre-series A capital, b) investing in a Fund of Funds, and c) building the capacity of IFADA Fellows (aspiring Fund Managers, Angel Investors and Scouts). Thirdly, how successful has BC been in building the investment capacity of these new financial entrepreneurs?The ET was tasked with answering eight specific questions with sub-components regarding whether program objectives were achieved, through adopting a mixed-method approach based on interviews with direct beneficiaries and key stakeholders and focus group discussions (FGDs) with various indirect beneficiaries. A mini-surveywas also conducted with beneficiary entrepreneurs to elicit views and perceptions regarding BCs range and quality of support services within its brief.The evaluation found that BC played a significant role in paving the way for the development of a more robust and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem in Jordan with clients benefiting from financial support and capacity measures